29/01/2026
Colorectal cancer is on the rise among young people. Now it is the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. for those under 50, according to a new analysis. https://on.wsj.com/4jZwyIf
More than 1.2 million people under age 50 died of cancer in the U.S. from 1990 through 2023, American Cancer Society researchers reported Thursday.
Some 3,905 people ages 20 to 49 died of colorectal cancer in 2023, according to Cancer Society statistics, compared with 3,809 for breast cancer and 2,086 for brain and other nervous system cancers.
“This is absolutely disconcerting,” said Dr. Madappa Kundranda, division chief of cancer medicine at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center in Phoenix, who wasn’t involved in the research.
As colorectal cancer among younger people has emerged as a bigger threat, medical groups have lowered the recommended age for colonoscopies that can detect the disease while there are good odds for effective treatment.
Yet not enough people under 50 are getting the screenings, doctors said, prompting calls for a redoubling of efforts to educate doctors and nurses about the need to talk with patients.
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